Dabrowski's Theory of Positive Disintegration

by Elizabeth Mika

Originally presented as part of an
e-conference on
Oz-Gifted-T, posted on Hoagies' Gifted Education Page with the author's
permission.

Theory of human personality development where the guiding role is assigned
to emotions.

Development is a progression from primary integration characterized by rigid,
instinctual egocentrism to conscious altruism based on empathy, compassion and
self-awareness, expressed the fullest at the highest level of development, the
level of secondary integration.

Development takes place through the process of positive disintegration, which
is the loosening and partial, or sometimes global, dismantling of the initial
character structure during the course of ones life and replacing it by
consciously created personality.

Development is not related to human biological maturation process, does not
follow a time schedule, although it progresses along an invariable sequence.

Development forms a hierarchy of levels characterized by the predominance of
either integration or disintegration on each level.

The level a person can attain in her development is determined by her
developmental potential.

Five levels of development

unilevel disintegration  loosening of the previously well-integrated
character structure as a result of usually external circumstances  unilevel
mental disturbances are very serious and have mostly unconscious character;
moral relativity

Positive disintegration

The royal path of development

Positive disintegration is a process through which an individual's
development can progress from one level
of functions to another, from a lower level to a higher one.

( ) disintegration means the differentiation through loosening of structures,
the dispersion and breaking up of psychic forces. The term disintegration is
used to refer to a broad range of processes, from emotional disharmony to the
complete fragmentation of the personality structure. Loosening and even
fragmenting the internal psychic environment, and conflicts within the internal
environment and with the external environment, is the ground for the birth and
development of a higher psychic structure. Disintegration is the basis for
developmental thrusts upward, the creation of new evolutionary dynamic, and the
movement of the personality to a higher level ( ). (1964)

Disintegration can be:

unilevel, multilevel, or pathological

partial or global

permanent or temporary

positive or negative

Multilevelness

Multilevelness is a paradigm, in which different phenomena, including human behavior and human
reality in general, can be seen as representing different, multiple levels of
developmental achievement. Multilevelness is the result of the hierarchization
of ones internal and external experiences.

The hierarchization comes about as the result of positive disintegration. It is
based on a growing awareness of universal human values and their role in shaping
our personal growth.

Dynamisms

Dynamisms are instinctual-emotional-cognitive forces  present in people endowed with high
developmental potential. Dynamisms, which are intrapsychic factors, are the
forces fueling and shaping emotional development.

Developmental dynamisms arise from the interplay of high developmental potential
with external conditions.

Conflicts and life difficulties are particularly important in shaping dynamisms
of personality development.

Positive Maladjustment  creative nonadaptation; critical discontent with the
status quo stemming from a desire to transcend what is inauthentic, harmful and
unfair in our lives; maladjustment to what is with adjustment to what ought
to be; also a dynamism

Overexcitability (nervousness)

The tragic gift

Overexcitability (OE) is a higher than average capacity for experiencing internal and external
stimuli, based on a higher than average responsiveness of the nervous system.

The prefix over attached to 'excitability' serves to indicate that the reactions
of excitation are over and above average in intensity, duration and frequency.
There is another essential feature characteristic for reactions of
overexcitability, namely, that the response is specific for that type of
overexcitability which is dominant in a given individual.

One could say that one who manifests a given form of overexcitability, and
especially one who manifests several forms of overexcitability, sees reality in
a different, stronger and more multisided manner. Reality for such an individual
ceases to be indifferent but affects him deeply and leaves long-lasting
impressions. Enhanced excitability is thus a means for more frequent
interactions and a wider range of experiencing. (1972, 7)

Types of OE

psychomotor

sensual

imaginational

intellectual

emotional

Forms of OE

all-inclusive (global)/confined (narrow)

temporary/permanent

Overexcitability

an expression of the interplay between psychical and autonomic factors, which
leads to an imbalance and moderate tension
(when the tension is higher, we see neuroses and psychoneuroses)

the expression of OE - its type, form and level - depends on physical
constitution, hormonal factors, level and universality of development, and
social environment

OE on the one side accelerates individual development, and on the other, is
the initial phase of neuroses and psychoneuroses. Although the latter increase
the developmental dynamics, they also bring dangers of tensions too great to
absorb and negative disintegration as a result. (1964)

Children, and mainly youth exhibiting different forms of OE, particularly
emotional and imaginational, possess in their developmental potential beginnings
of a hierarchical psychic inner milieu. Inner tensions, inhibitions, inner
conflicts, psychic crises, disappointments and maladjustment to the most common
forms of reality lead to an attitude of psychological isolation, to meditation
on the sense of life and death, to development of the ability to observe, to
philosophical reflection; and often deepen sensitivity to suffering of others.
(1979)

Sensitivity (OE) without a developmental outlet turns into irritability.

Irritability is the enemy of sensitivity  it reduces it and leads to disease.

Oversensitivity (OE) without inner psychic transformation brings many
unnecessary conflicts with others  magnifies the differences, and lessens and
obscures the most important things. (1972)

Psychomotor OE

an excess of energy manifesting in rapid talk, restlessness, preference for
violent games, sports, pressure for action, or delinquent behavior. It may
either be a "pure" manifestation of the excess of energy, or it may result from
the transfer of emotional tension to psychomotor forms of expression such as
those mentioned above (tics and self-mutilation). (1996)

use medication to prevent exhaustion and to aid attention, concentration and
slow development of self-control

watch out for tendencies to self-mutilation  avoid excessive criticism and
punishment

Sensual OE

a heightened ability to experience sensory pleasure manifesting in an increased
need to touch and be touched, hugged, kissed; early signs of sexual interest and
development; interest in food and food preparation; aesthetic interests; drama;
need for comfort and luxury; need for attention and company; dislike of
loneliness

Possible Origins:

genetic (hx of psychopathy, alcoholism)

illness

excessive parental adoration; sexual trauma

Treatment of sensual OE:

depends on the strength of DP, but in general this OE is difficult to modify
toward positive disintegration due to small potential for inner transformation

patiently encourage self-control and reflection

slowly build empathy for others

work on desensitization to overwhelming sensual stimuli

avoid excessive inhibitions and punishments which may lead to serious neuroses
and antisocial behaviors

Imaginational OE

association of images and impressions, inventiveness, use of image and metaphor
in verbal expression, strong and sharp visualization

combined with emotional OE - vivid dreams, nightmares, mixing of truth and
fiction, fears of the unknown, intense living in the world of fantasy,
predilection for fairy and magic tales, poetic creations, or invention of
fantastic stories, tendency to prospection and retrospection, maladjustment to
external reality

reward contacts with concrete reality and adjustment to it, teach differences
between illusory and real, steer imagination toward creativity rather than
non-creative isolation

provide opportunities for relaxation, even exemption from school activities
when needed in periods of particular intensity

use medication when needed to aid relaxation

Intellectual OE

processing information, and decision making are localized in the cognitive
sphere; manifested as a drive to ask probing questions, quest for knowledge,
theoretical thinking, reverence for logic, preoccupation with theoretical
problems, etc.; most frequently associated with exceptional abilities in
children

Global (all-inclusive) intellectual OE (frequent in ambiequal types  mixed
introversion/extraversion) when combined with emotional and imaginational OE, aids the
development of a rich mental structure with multiple talents and great
self-awareness.

Narrow (confined) intellectual OE (frequent in schizoid and introverted types) 
one-sided development of specific abilities with co-existent inflexibility and
life difficulties; may end in negative disintegration, or stunted growth.

Treatment of intellectual OE:

should not be corrected or treated, but should be balanced by encouraging
development of other forms of OE; particularly important to attend to a childs
emotional and moral development to counteract over-intellectualization

Be kind, accept and appreciate the child for who he is and who he is
becoming.

Look for signs of creativity and positive development in children whose
behaviors appear unusual, inconvenient and strange. Remember that diagnostic
labels are NOT people nor do they tell us about individual human beings.

Facilitate contacts between children of similar abilities and sensitivity.

Enjoy your students  grow with them, remembering that the so-called balance
and stabilization are contrary to creativity and development.

Theory of Positive Disintegration (TPD) contributions to understanding the gifted

ties asynchrony, OE, creativity and advanced development

reframes such frequently encountered characteristics of gifted individuals as
intensity, perfectionism, vulnerability to stress and traumas in a
developmentally positive light

explains difficult social experiences of gifted and creative individuals as a
result of a mismatch between a multilevel, multidimensional individual and her
unilevel, one-dimensional environment

instills hope that during the process of personality development through
positive disintegration, the gifted individual will create her own rightful
place in the world and thus transcend her loneliness and non-belonging